🚂 PTL Truck Struck by BNSF Train in Illinois. A Paschall Truck Lines (PTL) semi-truck was hit by a BNSF freight train after its trailer edged over a rail crossing near Chicago on Friday. The cab cleared the tracks, and the driver was unharmed. “The driver is perfectly fine,” said PTL VP of Safety Eric Aycock. Cleanup crews removed the wreckage and restored operations. Metra service was suspended for hours but has since resumed with lingering delays. The reason the truck entered the crossing while signals were active remains unknown. Authorities are investigating the incident.
🛑 Carrier411 Cuts Mexico-Based Vendor. Trade with Mexico Still Leads Despite Slight Decline. Carrier411 CEO Darren Brewer suspended access for a Mexico-based staffing agency after protests tied to ICE raids in Los Angeles. “I see all these people standing above cars, waving Mexican flags, and the devastation, the destruction of Los Angeles. I said, ‘something’s not right,’” Brewer said on FreightWaves’ What the Truck?!?. The platform will still allow access for broker clients with direct Mexico-based employees, but has ended access for third-party vendors. Meanwhile, Mexico remains the U.S.’s top trade partner, with $69.7B in bilateral trade recorded in April, despite a 4% drop year-over-year.
🚔 8 Arrested in Florida License Fraud Scheme. Florida officials arrested eight people in a 3-year scheme that saw Bay County DMV employees issue licenses—potentially including CDLs—without testing, in exchange for cash funneled through intermediaries. While officials discussed the crime involving undocumented immigrants, the sheriff said many recipients had legal status, such as asylum. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of licenses may have been issued fraudulently. Attorney General James Uthmeier blamed Biden’s immigration policies, saying they put “American families at risk.” Investigators seized $120K in cash; more arrests are expected. The exact number of licenses and how many were commercial remains unknown.
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Artist's rendering of the elevated freight bridge from Green Corridors. Image Source: Green Corridors
A freight-first elevated guideway, officially named the Green Corridors Intelligent Freight Transportation System (GC-IFTS), has just received Trump’s presidential permit, green‑lighting a privately funded, fully automated cargo corridor connecting Laredo, Texas, with Nuevo León, Mexico.
Here's how this “smart bridge” is taking freight infrastructure to a new level.
Elevated, 24/7 guideway parallel to the existing Colombia Solidarity Bridge, enabling continuous cargo flow free from passenger traffic.
Automated shuttles on guide rails will carry bonded freight between inland terminals—North terminal in Webb County and South near Monterrey.
Built entirely with private funding; the Trump permit was administrative only. Construction, environmental reviews, and IBWC approvals are next, with a June 2030 construction deadline.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D–TX):
“This project is a win for trade, safety, and the future of cross-border freight… It will bring good‑paying jobs to our communities and boost economic opportunity across the region.”
Global Comparisons: Late‑Stage Innovations
Japan’s “Auto‑Flow Road” A 500 km corridor between Tokyo and Osaka using autonomous cargo pods in a tri‑lane, guide‑rail setup. Test runs are slated for 2027–2028, with full rollout in the mid‑2030s.
European underground systems Switzerland’s Cargo Sous Terrain and the UK’s Magway are developing subsurface, unmanned freight tunnels aimed at easing congestion and emissions with high-tech automation.
Unlike current U.S.-Mexico crossings clogged with mixed traffic, this corridor will operate like a logistics express lane, combining the sealed-security of bonded freight with the nonstop automation seen in top-tier projects abroad.
Why It Matters
Green Corridor execs meet with Mexican politician Marco Antonio Gonzalez Valdez (center) who celebrated the talks on X.
Cross-Border Efficiency Surge: With fewer delays at crossings, brokers can reconfigure lanes, streamline logistics, and reduce dwell-time premiums.
Competition & Early-Mover Edge: Those involved in EV-ready or bonded cargo (cargo that hasn't yet cleared customs) lanes may capture top-tier cross-border clients.
Project as Precedent: If successful, private, automated corridors could extend to other U.S.–Mexico or domestic routes, reshaping future infrastructure expectations.
Not Everyone's Onboard
While Green Corridors LLC and government backers frame the project as a leap forward in efficiency, critics argue it’s being fast-tracked at the cost of transparency and community input.
Watchdog group FactArrow questioned whether “profit [is being placed] above people,” citing concerns over the environmental and social cost of building a concrete viaduct across the Rio Grande.
“Border towns already endure pollution and economic strain from trade hubs. Pushing through a private project without robust protections feels like a betrayal of those who live there,” they wrote.
Others echo concerns that fragile ecosystems near the Rio Grande could suffer long-term harm, especially given the 24/7 operations and industrial footprint proposed.
What Comes Next?
Environmental impact reviews and IBWC approvals are currently pending.
Construction must commence by June 2030 to retain the permit.
Laredo’s four bridge permits shows its crucial strategic freight position.
The GC-IFTS is real, permitted, and private-sector-backed. It could put the U.S. years ahead in the freight tech race.
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🔥 Truck Hangs Off I-65. A semi truck caught fire and was hanging off I-65 in Louisville. The cause is under investigation. Thankfully, the driver survived, though he suffered some minor injuries in the incident.
📉 Shipments Down, Rates Up. The Cass Freight Index shows May shipment volumes declined year-over-year, while freight rates rose. “The trade war is having a variety of effects,” the report stated, with thinning pre-tariff stocks being shown negatively in the May report.
🚫 ZEV Waivers Blocked. President Trump signed legislation revoking California’s zero-emission vehicle waivers. California (and other states) have joined together to file a lawsuit, setting the stage for a legal battle over regulatory authority and climate policy.
🛢 Oilfield Theft Arrest. Jonathan Stamper, owner of Stampede Lift Solutions was arrested for stealing more than $2 million in oilfield equipment, which led to the shutdown of a transportation and brokerage company tied to the case.
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I’m Adriana, a writer and editor at FreightCaviar. I’ve covered everything from freight tech to industry lawsuits and market shifts, helping scale us to almost 14K subscribers. My goal: to make logistics stories digestible, clear, and fun to read.
Hello! I'm Jerome FreightCaviar! I’m into the politics of freight and the impact it will have worldwide. I'm always eager to learn more. Follow me on X @JeromeFreightC
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